The Department of Justice on Tuesday concluded its preliminary investigation on the killing of Subic-based businessman Dominic Sytin in November last year.
This came after DOJ’s panel of prosecutors led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera directed the respondents to submit their memorandum before the case is submitted for resolution.
In the last hearing, the Philippine National Police and the victim’s widow Ann Marietta filed their reply and insisted on the murder and frustrated murder charges against the respondents led by the victim’s younger brother Dennis.
Meanwhile, the Angeles City Regional Trial Court issued a precautionary hold departure order against Dennis and two other respondents Oliver Fuentes and arrested gunman Edgardo Luib.
The RTC issued the order upon request by prosecutors to prevent the possible flight of the respondents.
“There is probable cause to believe that respondents Dennis Sytin, Oliver Fuentes and Edgardo Luib will depart from the Philippines to evade arrest and prosecution of crime against them,” read the PHDO signed by Executive Judge Omar Viola.
Dennis earlier denied the charges, saying there was no clear and categorical evidence to support Luib’s claim.
The businessman and executive of vehicle importer Uniter Auctioneers Inc. said he never met Luib and that the evidence pointed to the other respondent, Oliver Fuentes alias Ryan Rementilla, as brains of the killing.
Luib was arrested in Batangas last March 5. He executed an extrajudicial confession that identified the younger Sytin as the mastermind and tagged Fuentes in the killing. Luib said he was promised P1 million to kill Dominic, but was paid only P50,000.
The older Sytin, founder and chief executive officer of UAI, was killed in front of the Lighthouse Hotel in Subic on Nov. 28 last year. His driver Efren Espartero was wounded when he tried to fight back.
Investigators believed that the killing had something to do with an alleged fight over control of shares of UAI, one of the country’s biggest auction firms.
